Connection and Communication in Father-Child Relationships and Adolescent Child Well-Being

Contemporary research on fathering emphasizes the significance of a quality father-child relationship in a child’s development and well-being. Scholars have suggested that connecting with and communicating with children are critical to a healthy relationship. This study explores the influence of communication and connection on father-child relationships through a structural equation model using the LISREL program. Data were taken from the National Survey of Families and Households (NSFH), and a sample of 362 father-adolescent dyads was studied. Results provide support for the importance of connection in father-child relationships and suggest relationship quality affects adolescent child well-being for both father-son and father-daughter dyads.